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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

PA: Early Childhood Education

Some 23% of children served in Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in Pennsylvania are non-Hispanic Black, compared to 41% of children identifying as non-Hispanic White.<br />(Halfpoint/Adobe Stock)
Charting a Path to Equitable Access for PA Early Learning System

The Keystone State has some work to do to provide more access to quality pre-Kindergarten programs for the youngest Pennsylvanians. Only 43% of …

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Pennsylvania's 500 school districts range in size from approximately 200 students to more than 140,000 students. (WavebreakmediaMicro/AdobeStock)
PA State Budget in Limbo Over Private School Voucher Plan

Pennsylvania is still operating without a budget as the new school year approaches. House Bill 611 is now in the state Senate. It would provide more …

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In 2017-2018, boys of nearly all races were disproportionately disciplined, but Black boys in pre-K through 12th grade were suspended and expelled at proportions three times their enrollment, according to the U.S. Department of Education. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)
Restorative Practices Strengthening Relationships with PA Students, Communities

Restorative practices have gained a foothold in Pennsylvania schools as districts look for ways to reduce suspensions and improve their school climate…

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The 2023 Kids Count Data Book noted Pennsylvania's average annual cost of center-based child care for a toddler was $11,346, or 10% of the median income for a married couple and 35% of a single mother's income in the state. (DenisProduction.com/Adobe Stock)
Report: PA Ranks 22nd Among States in Child Well-Being

Pennsylvania ranks in the middle among states for the well-being of its children. It is 22nd overall in the new Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

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The Commonwealth's K-12 public school system serves more than 1.7 million students. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Call to Action: PA Group Pushes for More K-12 School Funding

More school funding for basic and special education, along with more funding targeted to lower-income districts are on the wish list of a …

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The <a href=Subsidized Child Care Program assists low-income families in Pennsylvania to help with child-care expenses, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. (Lordn/AdobeStock)">
Study: Children in Child Care Don't Exhibit Problematic Behaviors

A new study shows kids in child care are not more likely to exhibit behavior problems than those who don't attend them. The Society for Research in …

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Pennsylvania's per capita spending on pre-K education is $1,103, far less than neighboring New Jersey, which spends nearly $4,000 per capita. (Adobe Stock)
Report: PA Funding Can Boost Academic Success Starting in Pre-K

With negotiations for Pennsylvania's budget under way, a new report unpacks the state's investment in early-childhood education. Advocates hope it …

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During the 2018-19 school year, an estimated 86% of students in Pennsylvania's public schools did not receive adequate funding, according to state law. (Adobe Stock)
PA's School Funding Trial Gives Snapshot of State's Underfunded Districts

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania's school funding trial is entering its fourth week today. Testimony so far has provided an inside view into the …

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The school-funding lawsuit will be heard in the Pennsylvania Judicial Center in Harrisburg and is expected to run through December. (Wikimedia Commons)
PA Education Advocates Rally at Capitol Ahead of School Funding Trial

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- With nearly two weeks to go until the Commonwealth Court hears arguments about whether Pennsylvania's school funding system is …

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Since school started in Pennsylvania, the Department of Health says 5,000 students have tested positive for COVID-19. It's one reason for Gov. Tom Wolf's Sept. 7 mask mandate. (Gov. Tom Wolf/Flickr)
Mask Mandate Coming for All PA K-12 Schools, Child-Care Centers

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Face masks will be mandatory at all public and private K-through-12 schools in Pennsylvania, starting next week. Gov. Tom Wolf …

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Among other recommendations, child-care advocates want to see Pennsylvania expand its Infant/Toddler Contracted Slots Program to provide free child care to 3,000 to 4,000 more kids from eligible families. (Adobe Stock)
PA Child-Care Providers: State Budget Falls Short for Youngest Learners

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Tom Wolf signed the new state budget last week, which includes a historic $416 million increase in public-education funding…

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Research shows unequal application of school discipline is due to different treatment, not different behavior by students. (MIA Studio/Adobe Stock)
Report Highlights PA School Discipline Disparities

PHILADELPHIA -- A report to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission recommends banning exclusionary discipline for nonviolent offenses in Pennsylvania …

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